An international team of researchers identified 18 genetic regions associated with dental size and shape, with 17 of these regions linked to tooth sizes for the first time, according to La Razón. The study, published in Current Biology, revealed how genetic variants inherited from Neanderthals influence the size and shape of teeth in modern humans, with at least one gene believed to have been inherited due to interbreeding with ancient humans, as reported by Infobae.
Among the identified regions, one gene believed to have been inherited from Neanderthals contributes to variations in tooth shape and is associated with thinner incisors in individuals of European descent, according to Phys.org [https://phys.org/news/2024-12-gene-inherited-neanderthals-tooth.html]. The researchers analyzed genetic and dental data from 882 volunteers from Colombia with mixed European, Indigenous American, and African ancestry, using 3D scanning technologies to collect dental crown measurements—the dimensions of the part of the tooth visible above the gums.
"We have now identified numerous genes that impact the development of our teeth, some of which are responsible for differences between ethnic groups," said Dr. Kaustubh Adhikari from University College London (UCL), according to Mail Online. The researchers found substantial differences in teeth based on ethnicity, possibly due in part to the Neanderthal-derived gene, with participants of European descent having smaller teeth overall, as reported by Newsbomb [https://www.newsbomb.gr/kosmos/story/1610566/epistimoniki-erevna-ta-dontia-sas-apokalyptoun-an-eiste-apogonos-tou-neantertal].
The EDAR gene, previously linked to incisor shape in East Asian people, also influences the width of all teeth, according to HuffPost Spain. Another finding is that genes inherited from Neanderthals may affect the shape of modern humans' noses, as reported by Science Daily.
"Our findings have not clarified whether the genes that determine tooth shape were selected in evolution due to specific advantages for dental health, so it is possible that the genes were selected because of the influences they have in other areas, with differences in tooth shape being a secondary effect," added Professor Andrés Ruiz-Linares from Aix-Marseille University, according to La Razón. Qing Li from Fudan University stated, "We hope that our findings may be medically useful, that people with certain dental problems may undergo genetic tests to assist in diagnosis, or that some dental anomalies may one day be treated with gene therapies," as reported by Scienze Notizie.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq